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The Rudrayamala: Uttara Khanda

The Rudrayamala is used as a source by many other agamas but the original appears to be lost. This
analysis is of a tantra given the same name but almost certainly, from internal evidence, not the
original text. Yet although,as with many other tantrik texts,its provenance is unknown, it nevertheless
contains a great deal of interesting information and focuses in great detail on the identity of the
goddess with Kundalini. Published in a Sanskrit edition by the Vacasampati Press, Calcutta, this work
is divided into 66 chapters (patala) of different lengths and written in a simple manner. Here is a digest
of its contents (under construction).

Chapter 1
The text takes the form of Shiva asking questions and Shakti answering, making this nigama rather
than agama form. Another example of this style is found in the undoubtedly old Kulachudamani
Tantra. In his form as Bhairava, Shiva opens by saying he has heard many tantras including the
Shriyamala, the Vishnuyamala, the Shaktiyamala and the Brahmayamala. Now he wants to hear of the
Uttara Khanda (last section) of the Shri Rudrayamala.

Bhairavi replies that she will tell him and proceeds to enumerate the topics. These include Kumari-
Lalita sadhana; Khechari, Yakshini and Kanya sadhanas; the vidyas of Unmatta Bhairavi and Kali as
well as their sadhanas and a host of other topics of interest to a Shakta such as the Garland of Skulls
sadhana, Guhyakali, Kubjika sadhana, Bhadra Kali, Shmashana Kali, &c. &c. She starts with a
description of the well-known three types of sadhaka, divya (divine), vira (heroic) and pashu
(beastlike).

Chapter 2
Opens with a description of the characteristics of Kulachara. She describes puja to be done when
rising, including internal puja related to the chakras. A sadhaka must meditate on the guru on his
Shakti at the centre above the head. Other meditations follow related to the other familiar six chakras
in the body. The guru should be regarded in the same light as one's father, one's mother. He (or she
because a guru may be either in the tantrik tradition) is the devata and is the refuge. After this section,
Bhairava asks about the rules relating to initiation (diksha). He wants to know about various chakras
employed at initiation time including Kulakula, A-Ka-Da-Ma, the Rashi (12 constellations) chakras,
the Kurma (tortoise) chakra and others including Deva, Rinidani and Tara chakra. Initiation is so
important that this and the following three chapters are devoted to the subject.

Chapter 3
Bhairavi answers these questions in this chapter and gives a host of rules about initiation into the cult
of Shakti, including their shapes and the mantras associated with them. She dilates particularly on the
Shiva and Vishnu yantras.

Chapter 4
The subject is continued. Bhairavi now speaks of the Brahma chakra at length. In the remainder of this
chapter she speaks of the Rinidani (loss-gain) chakra and then begins to talk about defects some
mantras may have.
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Chapter 5

Bhairavi discusses how these defects can be removed. After a candidate is initiated, she says the types
of dreams will determine whether initiation is successful.

Chapter 6
Bhairava asks about more information concerning the bhavas. Devi describes the pashu bhava, opening
by hailing Shiva as Pashunath, Viranath and Divyanath. She describes the Sushumna Sadhana,
performed in the morning. After meditating on the guru, the sadhaka is to meditate on Mahakundalini,
who is the self of both inhalation and exhalation, i.e. breath. This Kula Mohini is as bright as millions
of suns and moons and gives Mahabuddhi when brought to the 1,000 petalled lotus. She is the form of
time and everything else, existing as the Yogini Khechari in the form of the vital breath (vayu). The
sadhaka should worship her as showering the body with nectar. Then Devi gives a hymn to Kundalini
bestowing siddhi, and called the Kundalikomala Stava. At the close of this chapter, Anandabhairavi
talks of the bhavas again and begins to describe the characteristics of the Kumaris (virgins) and how
worship varies depending on which class the sadhaka holds.
Chapter 7

This starts with a description of Kumari Puja. If performed, it is said to remove poverty and illness.
The place of puja is either a Mahapitha or a Devi temple. The text lists the different maidens including
Nati (actress), Kapaliki, Rajaki, Napita, Gopala, Brahmani, Vaishya, Shudra and Chandala. The girls
should be given sweets and other pleasant things and treated as forms of the goddess incarnate. The
mantras of the Kumaris are given.
Chapter 8

Continues the topic and deals with recitation of mantra (japa) and sacrifice (homa) to the Kumaris. The
hymn to the Kumaris is also given along with details of oblations.

Chapter 9
Gives the Kumari Kavacha (armour) which follows the usual form of these charms, for example:
Maharaudri and Aparajita,. protect my throat! The recitation of the armour is said to bring siddhi
quickly. It may be written on bhurja (birch) bark and borne on the body, when it will give the
practitioner the desired results. The text gives times for doing this including on a Saturday or a
Tuesday on the ninth, eighth, fourteenth days of a waning moon or on a full moon day.

Chapter 10
Concludes the subject of the Kumaris. Anandabhairava asks the goddess to tell him about the 1008
names of the Kumaris, which Anandabhairavi proceeds to do. The seer of the names is
Vatukabhairava, anushtubh is the metre, Kumara is the devata and the application is success in all
mantras. The names follow the order of the 36 consonants of the Sanskrit alphabet. Various results are
described depending on the number of days the names are recited.

Chapter 11
Bhairavi opens this chapter by talking, once more, about the three bhavas. She describes the different
characteristics of divyas, viras and pashus. The best type of sadhaka is a divya, who obtains the highest
siddhi. Both divyas and viras practise using the five tattvas. At the close of this chapter, the Devi lists a
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series of chakras she will discuss.

Chapters 12,13, 14
She describes the Kamachakra, the Rashichakra, results of the Ajnachakra and the Nakshatra chakra.
These include the placing of the letters according to positions of the 12 constellations (the tantriks use
a sidereal zodiac) and the 27 nakshatras or lunar mansions. Different letters of the alphabet are placed
in the different compartments and the chapters describe the different results obtained by worshipping
in these yantras.

Chapter 15
Anandabhairava asks the goddess to tell him about the nature of the Brahmastotra, the Brahmavidya
and the macrocosm. (Brahmasharira). This chapter is related to the description of the Ajnachakra. She
says that this is like the vital air in the body of Shakti. One should meditate on the Brahmananda in the
heart to become a true knower. Shakti is Kundalini Devi, the true form of the mother of the world. The
vital breath (of Shakti) pervade the macrocosm, including constellations, nakshatras, and lunar days.
Practising according to the rules she describes gives the state of Khechara in one month, a diamond
body in two, &c. Eventually a sadhaka becomes one with Supreme Shiva by a knowledge of the vital
airs. Shiva asks who is a Vaishnava (follower of Vishnu), who is a Dharmika (a doer of that which is
right) and who is a Yogi. The goddess says a Vaishnava is stationed in the Ajna chakra. One who does
a sacrifice (a yajnika) is stationed in Brahma consciousness. A Dharmika has realised his oneness with
Brahman and is a rejector (tyagi) of both good (dharma) and bad (adharma). One who knows the
Brahman is an avadhuta and a yogi, can do as she or he wills and is not restricted by times or any other
conditions. He or she is unaffected by results or lack of results. The avadhuta knows the parampada
(supreme). Because the avadhuta has realised the supreme nectar of Kundalini in the Ajna Chakra, she
or he is praised by Rudra and all the gods. These tantrik precepts show an aversion to the orthodox
expression of the Hindu terms as usually applied.
Chapter 16

Continues the discussion of Ajna Chakra. This is a brief section of only 44 verses (shlokas), continuing
the praise of a person who has reached this stage.

Chapter 17
An interesting chapter because it describes the characteristics of the Atharva Veda, to which some
tantrik schools ascribe their vedik credentials, and, later on, apparently recommends the adoption of
Buddhistic practises (Mahachinachara) to achieve enlightenment.

The goddess first says the Atharva Veda is the essence of all and focuses on the path of Shakti. She
describes the Sama Veda as being of the nature of the tamas guna, while the others partake of sattvas
and rajas guna. Brahma, Vishnu and Hara are of the nature of rajas, sattvas and tamas while Kundali,
associated with the Atharva, is the supreme devata. The text proceeds with a eulogy of the goddess,
describing her as the form of knowledge, the supreme aether, and she who gives grace and success on
earth. She is Kamarupa in the Muladhara chakra and is always united with Shiva-Kameshvari in the
1,000 petal lotus. Bhairava then wants to know about the different vital breaths in the body.
Anandabhairavi speaks about this topic at great length. She describes the pitha Kamarupa as being in
the Muladhara, Jalandhara in the heart chakra, Purnagiri is in the throat, Varanasi is in the forehead and
Jvalanti is in the (three) eyes. Other locations of the great pithas are given.
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The goddess says that the chakras have four, six, 10, 12, 16 and two petals respectively. The
Brahmarandhra, at the top of the head, is known as (Mount) Kailasa and is known as the 1,000 petalled
lotus and the Great Lotus (mahapadma). Millions of nadis pervade the body. The subtle breaths
pervade these. When they are merged together (laya) it brings steadiness of mind using kumbhaka and
other methods, again described in some detail.

In verse 108, the tantra begins a remarkable story. It speaks of Vashishta, describing him as being
engaged for a long period of time in pursuing sadhana, restraining himself and practising austerities
(tapasa). Despite 1,000 years of this, he had not achieved his goal. He had a vision of Sarasvati in
which he was told to go to the land of Buddha (buddhadesha), to Mahachina, a non-vedik place, where
he would achieve what he wanted.
Going to the region of the Brahmaputra, he discovered hosts of men and women apparently engaged in
non-Vedik practises, swilling wine, eating flesh and engaging in sexual intercourse. All were naked,
their eyes reddened with liquor. Yet all were enlightened. Going to Buddha, Vashishta asked how this
could be. Buddha is made to reply: "Vashishta, listen! I will speak of the highest path of Kula by
knowing which a man takes the form of Rudra immediately!" He then speaks of the practice of
Mahachinachara. By this method, all the Hindu gods became enlightened. More details of the
Mahachinachara come in the Brihadnila Tantra (chapter seven):-

"Bathing and so forth is done mentally, purifying celestial gaze is done mentally, so too is clothing and
recitation of mantra. Resolution (samkalpa) and so forth and puja are also done mentally. All times are
good, there is no time that is not good at all. There is no difference between day and night, nor of
twilights and great nights. One should do everything mentally, including clothes, seat, place, temple,
body, wine. One should never do purifying here and act mentally, free of distinctions. There is no need
here for purashcharana (prior actions), nor for considering faults of mantras and so forth. The mantrin
who meditates thus obtains the fruit of all that is desired. [VII, 103-107] The Mahachinakrama, it
emerges, is sexual intercourse with an initiated Shakti.

[To be continued - under construction]

Artwork is © Jan Bailey, 1995. Translations are © Mike Magee 1995. For more information, send e-
mail to ac70@cityscape.co.uk

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